*West Ham striker Andy Carroll was denied a goalscoring Premier League return as Aston Villa clung on to halt a run of six successive defeats.*

Carroll, making his first appearance of the season after an ankle injury, had two late headers saved after coming off the bench at Upton Park.

The Hammers created numerous chances, especially during a frantic finale, but could not force a breakthrough.

For Villa it is a first point since victory at Liverpool in September.

The result may be a relief for boss Paul Lambert, who signed a new four-year contract at Villa in mid-September but has not seen his team claim a win since.

Lambert had acknowledged before the match that he was not “bomb-proof” and was aware he needed to halt the miserable sequence of defeats.

A lack of goals continue to be a problem for his side. They have hit the target just once in almost 12 hours of football, Andreas Weimann’s strike in last weekend’s 2-1 home defeat to Tottenham.

In contrast West Ham had plundered 19 in their opening 10 games - their best goalscoring start to a top-flight campaign for 28 years, and the kind of form that earned Sam Allardyce October’s manager of the month award.

The Hammers are now unbeaten in five but could not force a breakthrough, even with Diafra Sakho back in the side after the shoulder injury which kept him out at Stoke.

Sakho, a £3.5m signing from French side FC Metz, had been aiming to become the first player to score on each of his first seven Premier League starts. He had three headed chances but failed to get any on target and suffered a frustrating afternoon.

It was the same all over the pitch for the Hammers, as they made the majority of the running but could not force the ball past Villa’s in-form keeper Brad Guzan.

Starting his 85th Premier League game in a row, the American made good first-half saves from ex-Villa men Stewart Downing and James Collins, and twice denied Carroll late on by stopping close-range headers.

It meant there was no fairytale return for the Hammers £15m record signing, who was making his comeback after tearing his ankle ligaments in the summer.

Villa, who had defender Nathan Baker stretchered off, had their moments. The lively Gabriel Agbonlahor - in for the suspended Christian Benteke - created and missed an early chance and Weimann brought a fine save out of Adrian with a drive from 12 yards.

But in the end, neither side could find a way through and it is Villa who will be more content with a point.

*West Ham manager Sam Allardyce:* “It was a terrific effort that we gave. When we lulled a little bit in the second half the changes we made gave us that exciting all-important finish and our fans the chance to see another win here.

“The sad thing was that when our finishing was good, the goalkeeper was even better. We have got to respect the point and it’s our second clean sheet, which is good.

“Aston Villa are a frustrating team to break down, but we broke them down several times apart from the keeper.

“It was nearly a fantastic end to the game and we are very disappointed we didn’t get the three points.”